Because of the dragon's temperament, coercion is useless.
If you want him to act, you must guide him and let him move willingly.
Dragon (Long) looked at Caesar in astonishment, truly surprised.
Caesar carried himself with an air of dominance, a man who disregarded everyone else.
When someone like that wants to act, shouldn't he do so decisively?
So why was Caesar suddenly changing his approach?
What is he planning? Dragon wondered. I keep getting the feeling he doesn't want me to join the Marines. Is it because he's a pirate and doesn't want them to grow stronger?
Besides… he seems to know about my dissatisfaction with the Celestial Dragons. This pirate is strange.
Although he had no desire to converse with Caesar, Dragon couldn't deny his curiosity about what the man had just said—overthrowing the Celestial Dragons.
He didn't want to reveal his thoughts too early but still wanted to probe, so he asked tactfully, "Do you hate the Celestial Dragons?"
"Of course," Caesar scoffed, stepping off the train.
"Those parasites do nothing but commit atrocities. They don't even see non-Celestial Dragons as human, yet they consume resources without contributing. A waste of air and food."
"Don't you pity the people suffering under the burden of the Heavenly Tribute?"
"Then why don't you kill them?" Dragon pressed.
Caesar grinned. "Because I'm not strong enough yet. That's why I need someone like you as a partner. Together, we'll tear down their rule so the common people don't have to live like this. That is true justice."
Dragon listened, and it felt as though a door had opened before him.
He was still young, but he had witnessed the Celestial Dragons' tyranny firsthand.
Especially with a father like Garp, who loathed them, Dragon was never going to favor the World Nobles.
But up until now, he had simply despised them without any concrete direction.
Now, thanks to Caesar's words, a hazy path was forming in his mind.
In the original timeline, I don't know what first pushed me to create the Revolutionary Army.
But now, Caesar has become the guide leading me there.
However, Dragon remained cautious.
He's still a pirate. Pirates can't be trusted. I can't let him know what I'm thinking.
If he's deceiving me, my plans could fail before they even begin. Until I grow strong enough… I won't tell anyone.
With that thought, Dragon chose silence.
To Caesar, Dragon's silence meant something else entirely.
I still can't read him… Caesar thought. Should I take him away, just in case?
Dragon wasn't easy to sway, but if he were dragged onto a pirate ship, at the very least, he wouldn't be able to become a Marine.
And that, above all, would infuriate Garp.
Yes.
More than worrying about a potential enemy, Caesar was far more interested in driving Garp up the wall.
He still remembered Garp's expression during the Summit War when Luffy appeared.
Just as Caesar hesitated, his instincts flared.
He activated his Observation Haki, spreading his awareness across the town.
The moment his perception reached the harbor, he felt it.
Several warships were approaching.
And among them—one with a distinct dog-headed figurehead, a bone clenched between its teeth.
Even without seeing it, there was no mistaking it.
Garp was here.
So he finally got word and rushed over, huh?
Caesar, who now carried a sword on his back, had been waiting for this day.
On the warship, Garp was more impatient than anyone.
Even before it had fully docked, he had already launched himself ashore with Moonwalk (Geppo).
The local Marines were gathered at the pier, having received news in advance.
"Where is Caesar?!" Garp's voice boomed as he clenched his fists.
A Marine officer stepped forward.
"According to reports, Caesar is trying to recruit a young boy into piracy within the town," he said. "As for the rest of the Caesar Pirates, we have no precise information, but their ship is docked nearby."
The presence of the pirate ship confirmed that the crew was here as well.
That fact alone thrilled Garp.
But when he heard that Caesar was targeting a young boy, he tensed up.
Garp upheld his own brand of justice.
There was no way he would allow a teenager to be forced into piracy.
Even without knowing that the boy was his own son.
Determined to find Caesar immediately, Garp grabbed the Marine officer and took off.
"Wait, Vice Admiral—!"
Before the officer could protest, he was lifted like a sack of potatoes.
The other Marines stared, dumbfounded.
It was humiliating. Being carried like this in front of his men? No dignity at all.
More importantly, he did not want to get caught in the crossfire of a battle between Garp and Caesar.
Still, he chose his words carefully.
"Vice Admiral Garp, I heard the boy Caesar is tempting is your son," he said, eyes shifting. "And the two seemed to be having a very good conversation. Perhaps he's already succeeded in turning him?"
The implication was clear.
Let go of me and go there yourself—before it's too late.
But the officer had gravely underestimated Garp's strength.
The moment he realized his son might be involved, Garp accelerated.
He vanished, moving so fast that the wind pressure alone sent the officer spiraling through the air.
Meanwhile, Caesar, still tracking Garp with Observation Haki, knew something was off.
He's too fast…
There's no time to keep teasing his son.
No matter.
The seeds of resistance against the Celestial Dragons had already been planted in Dragon's heart.
There was no chance of him joining the Marines now.
Caesar cracked his neck.
Alright, Garp… let's play.
He gripped the hilt of his Tyrant Saber.
This was the moment he had been waiting for.
The instant Caesar moved, Dragon felt a chill.
For a moment, he feared Caesar might attack him.
But no.
Caesar's attention was elsewhere.
Looking toward the pier, Dragon spotted the dog-headed warship fast approaching.
Garp had arrived.
[100] Testing the Blade Against Garp—The Comeback Battle
"Karp! Long time no see! How's life treating you?" Caesar called out, his voice ringing through the air.
Without waiting for an answer, he swung his blade.
A devastating shockwave of sword energy tore through the air, slashing toward Garp.
Seeing the incoming attack, Garp's eyes narrowed.
He swiftly dodged, causing the Marine officer he had been carrying to go crashing into the ground.
"Vice Admiral Garp!" the officer groaned. "Why did you drop me?!"
His complaint was cut short as he saw the aftereffects of Caesar's slash.
The sheer force of the attack split several buildings clean in half before extending all the way to the sea.
His blood ran cold.
Is this… the power of a New World pirate?
If Garp hadn't dropped him, he would've been cut in two.
Caesar, pleased with his own attack, called out again.
"What's wrong, Garp? Afraid? You came to arrest me, didn't you? Come on, fight me properly!"
But Garp wasn't retreating out of fear.
He was drawing Caesar away from the town—to minimize casualties.
Caesar smirked.
Fine by me.
As they reached the open sea, Caesar raised his blade.
"Karp, we're far enough now. No more excuses."
Garp cracked his knuckles.
"You got a fancy new sword, huh?"
"You like it? It's sharp."
Garp grinned.
"Good. Let's see if it can handle my fists."
The battle truly began.
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